The present invention generally relates to online or website registration. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for verifying an online registration by a telephone connection separate from the online connection between the website and potential registrant. This invention is also related to a process for determining characteristics of a telephone number, which can be further used for verification purposes.
With the increasing popularity of the Internet, and website surfing and usage, both commercial and personal, it has become increasingly popular to require users to register at the website in order to obtain information from the website, order goods through the website, etc. In some instances, the owners of the website wish to use the registrant's registration information to selectively target promotions, advertisements, etc. to the registrant and thus get a secondary gain in addition to having the registrant visit the website or use the services provided through the website. In other instances, the registrant's registration information is not used whatsoever, but instead, the registration information is kept completely confidential and is used only for the purposes of allowing the registrant to enter the website and obtain information or goods and services through the website.
Authentication is fundamental to every Internet transaction. Individuals and businesses who wish to engage in trade online must authenticate themselves by reliably establishing their identity, and presenting credentials as proof of that identity. However, when doing business on the Internet, potential registrants often register with untraceable or false e-mail addresses and phone numbers. This can compromise the intended purpose of the registration, create a breach of security and constitute fraud on the website owners.
As will be more fully described herein, and as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/034,421, filed Jan. 11, 2005, the inventors have created a process for verifying an online registration utilizing a telephone connection with the registrant separate from the online connection between the website and potential registrant. However, it has been found that with the advent of different telephone systems, such verification can still lead to access by fraudulent users. Aside from the plain old telephone service (POTS) which utilizes landline telephones, there now exist cellular phones, voice over internet protocol (VOIP) phones, etc. Caller identification can be blocked or the number not assigned to a particular person or equipment. In other instances, a United States area code could, in fact, be linked to a telephone in another country, such as Nigeria, where many fraudulent schemes occur. Such is the case with VOIP telephone numbers, wherein a person in Nigeria could answer to an area code “310” number otherwise associated with telephones in Los Angeles, Calif. Thus, a potential defrauder could insert a false name, geographic or address information, and a telephone number which would otherwise correspond with such geographic information, but which is, in fact, not where the potential defrauder is. Knowing the characteristics of the telephone number can be helpful not only to website owners seeking security, but also to other systems, marketing agencies, etc.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a method to verify a registrant's identity using the registrant's telephone number. There is also a continuing need to obtain information and characteristics of the telephone number to determine if the information provided is fraudulent. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.